10. Compare and contrast the creation of a transgenic organism and an organism t
ID: 99093 • Letter: 1
Question
10. Compare and contrast the creation of a transgenic organism and an organism that has had a gene silenced.
11. Discuss practical and ethical issues that can arise from growing or raising genetically modified organisms.
12. Find information on websites about GM organisms that is incorrect, and point out scientific errors.
13. Find information on websites about GM organisms that does not adequately identify or explain the risks of the technology.
14. List possible dangers to human health and to the environment from GM crops.
Explanation / Answer
10. A transgenic organism is a type of genetically modified organism (GMO) that has genetic material from another species that provides a useful trait. For instance, a plant may be given genetic material that increases its resistance to frost. Another example would be an animal that has been modified with genes that give it the ability to secrete a human protein. Gene Silencing refers to a technique, called RNA interference (RNAi), for switching off genes within a cell.
11& 14. From the first generation of GM crops, two main areas of concern have emerged, namely risk to the environment and risk to human health. There is little documented evidence that GM crops are potentially toxic. A notorious study claiming that rats fed with GM potatoes expressing the gene for the lectin Galanthus nivalis agglutinin suffered damage to gut mucosa was published in 1999. Allergies to non-GM foods such as soft fleshed fruit, potatoes and soy are widespread. Clearly, new varieties of crops produced by either GM techniques or conventional breeding both have the potential to be allergenic.The potential allergenicity of genetically modified foods is a concern that is shared by both critics and proponents of the technology. It is possible that new genetic material may carry with it substances that could trigger serious human allergic reactions. Another food safety issue involves the use of marker genes that are resistant to certain antibiotics. The concern is that these marker genes, which are transferred in almost all successful genetic engineering projects, may stimulate the appearance of bacteria resistant to common antibiotics. Critics also claim that genetic engineering may lower the nutritional quality of some foods. GM crops allow farmers to continue monocropping practices (planting huge tracts of land in one crop variety), which actually exacerbate pest and disease problems and diminish biodiversity.
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